When most people (me included) see babies (human/animal) we go "Ooh, I just wanna eat you up. I just wanna squish your little head in" or some variant of this. Why is that?
2006-08-10 04:55:30 · 16 answers · asked by Felix Q 3 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
People... It's not an actual urge to eat the baby, it's just that for some reason that's what comes to mind for some reason.
2006-08-10 05:03:32 · update #1
*cough* the second expression is just to illustrate the point. But yes, I've heard it. When people go "I just wanna eat you up" for a while, it starts sounding funny, so often they move on to another term that runs along the same lines, even if it's not exactly the phrase above.
2006-08-10 06:20:57 · update #2
Have you ever really heard some say, I just wanna squish your little head in - who are your people and why....why
seriously, Because language isn't always precise. Home Run, do they run home. Foul ball, is it really foul. Words have different meanings, so when one says something like you mentioned, it isn't meant literally.
It's a way of saying: Oh when I look at you, you illicite in me feelings that are so intense, there are no words. I simply feel overwhelmed with emotion.
2006-08-10 05:13:02 · answer #1 · answered by chris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've heard the first expression, while I've never heard the second. The second bothers me.
Well, in the animal kingdom some do eat their young. Sometimes there isn't enough food available for the babies. Animal mothers (or fathers) will sacrifice a small or weak baby to feed to the other litter mates. Another time when animals might eat their young is when there is outside stress, such as a threat to the nest.
http://www.enature.com/expert/expert_show_question.asp?questionID=19556&expertType=enature
Remember, in the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel they were abandoned in the woods because their family coudn't provide enough food for them. Due to the widespread hunger and poverty in the MIddle Ages, such child abandonment was actually common practice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hansel_and_Gretel
One theory of why people first kissed is mothers chewed food for their babies and transferred it "in a kiss." This pleasurable activity later moved from mother to child to something for adults to enjoy.
http://www.infoweb.co.nz/free-articles-for-reprint/why-do-we-kiss
I expect the expression, "Ooh, I just wanna eat you up" is a way for someone to say they want to kiss the baby (and in that way be very close to it). People exaggerate a little when talking about a baby. So, "kiss you" becomes "eat you up."
2006-08-10 06:16:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
People often feel that they are being funny or humerous in using such terms of endearment the truth is that it is the tone of voice in which a statement of the sort is delivered. You should also remember th roots of the phrases such as cute as a button or she is so sweet I could eat her up. Most people refer to food as being a pleasurable experience hence teh transfer of teh information and thought process to expand and use the thoughts of pleasure in conjunction with children and food. I hope this helps.
2006-08-10 05:11:33 · answer #3 · answered by psychologist is in 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-12-14 03:49:25 · answer #4 · answered by bloodsaw 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've said "I could just eat you up", but I've never heard of "squish your little head in". *L* I guess we have lots of peculiar sayings.
2006-08-10 05:03:19 · answer #5 · answered by nimbleminx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well they're just expressions like you love the baby so much (or you think its so cute, that) you want to eat it
2006-08-10 05:01:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because you probably have self-defecative nature. Chew on that one.
2006-08-10 05:03:35 · answer #7 · answered by Hey Joe! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Babies induce no violence, all comments about babies are indearments."
2006-08-10 05:03:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY NEED SO MUCH ATTENTION! ALSO CONTINUOSLY CRYING HAS TO CREATE SOME KIND OF STRESS!!!!!!
2006-08-10 06:15:12 · answer #9 · answered by macdonald1814 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because they got that from their psychologicaly challenged parents?
2006-08-10 05:01:20 · answer #10 · answered by Cheyenne M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋